Schilthorn, Switzerland

When the producers of “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” arrived in the Bernese Oberland in 1968, they found a half-finished revolving restaurant sitting unused at the top of the Schilthorn at 2,970 metres. They offered to complete the interior and build a helicopter landing pad in exchange for filming rights. The deal cost Eon Productions around 60,000 pounds. The restaurant, named Piz Gloria after the film, opened for paying guests once filming wrapped and has been trading on that arrangement ever since. The Schilthorn experience today is partly about the view, partly about the cable car journey, and partly about a very specific kind of alpine kitsch built around a 1969 spy film. It works.

Getting to Schilthorn

The Schilthorn sits above the car-free village of Mürren in the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Getting there is part of the experience and takes some planning.

From Interlaken Ost station, take the Berner Oberland-Bahn (BOB) to Lauterbrunnen. From Lauterbrunnen there are two ways up to Mürren. The longer and more atmospheric route goes by cable car from Grütschalp (reached from Lauterbrunnen pier by a short cable car), then by mountain railway along the cliff edge to Mürren. The faster route goes from Stechelberg (south of Lauterbrunnen, reached by post bus) directly by cable car, passing through Gimmelwald and Mürren to the summit. From Mürren, the Schilthornbahn cable car continues to the summit.

If you are driving, leave your car in Lauterbrunnen or Stechelberg and use public transport from there. No roads reach Mürren.

The full round trip from Stechelberg to the summit costs around CHF 80-100 per adult as of 2025-2026. Swiss Travel Pass holders get a discount. The cable car runs daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM with departures every 20 minutes. Schilthorn is open year-round. Book tickets in advance through schilthorn.ch or swissrailways.com if you are visiting on a clear-sky weekend in summer; the summit attracts significant crowds on good-weather days.

Piz Gloria and Spy World

The revolving restaurant at the summit completes one rotation per hour. The views take in the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau to the east, the Blüemlisalp range to the west, and on clear days the Black Forest in Germany and Mont Blanc in France. The exhibition on the ground floor of the summit building, called Spy World, covers the Bond production with film props, footage, and photographs from the 1968-1969 shoot. Bond’s Breakfast is the signature menu item; the cheese fondue is a more honest choice. Prices at Piz Gloria are what you would expect at a revolving restaurant with a captive audience at altitude. Come for a drink and the view rather than a full meal if you are watching costs.

The observation terrace outside the restaurant requires some caution in wind; it can be considerably colder than the valley, even in July. Layers and a windproof jacket are essential.

Mürren

Mürren itself, at 1,650 metres, is worth spending time in rather than treating as a transit point. The village sits on a high ledge above the Lauterbrunnen Valley with unobstructed views of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. It is car-free, small, and genuinely quiet in a way that very few Alpine villages in the Bernese Oberland manage to be. The Allmendhubel funicular from the village centre gives access to the upper hiking trails and a children’s playground area with panoramic views.

Hotel Jungfrau in Mürren is the most established option, a traditional hotel in the village centre with a restaurant and views. Hotel Alpina sits directly on the cliff edge with floor-to-ceiling views of the three peaks; the positioning is dramatic. Berggasthaus Suppenalp, a simple mountain restaurant a short hike from the village, serves good soup and coffee in a no-frills setting. For a more informal base, Gimmelwald (the village below Mürren on the cable car route) has a handful of small guesthouses and a reputation among budget travellers.

Hiking

The trails around Schilthorn and Mürren are excellent and not overcrowded outside of peak July and August weekends. The North Face Trail loops around from Mürren past views of the Eiger’s infamous north wall; waymarked and achievable in about 3-4 hours. The trail from Mürren to Grütschalp along the cliff edge with valley views runs about 12 km and takes around 3 hours at a comfortable pace. A shorter option is walking between Mürren and Gimmelwald (30-40 minutes downhill on a good path) rather than taking the cable car.

Trümmelbach Falls

The Trümmelbach Falls in the Lauterbrunnen Valley floor are ten glacial meltwater falls that drain the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, carrying up to 20,000 litres per second at peak flow. They are inside the mountain, accessible by tunnel and a series of lifts and walkways; the scale and noise of the water at close range is genuinely impressive rather than just scenically pleasing. Open approximately May to November; entry costs around CHF 12-14 for adults.

Practical Calendar

The Schilthorn is best in summer (June to September) for hiking, views, and the warm terrace at Piz Gloria, and in winter (December to early April) for skiing on the Mürren ski area, which connects across the Schilthorn slopes. Spring (April to May) and autumn (October to November) bring cloud at altitude and some cable car closures for maintenance; worth checking the schedule if visiting outside peak season.

The cog railway and cable cars in the region operate on exact Swiss timetables. Missing a connection is genuinely easy; allow buffer time, especially for return journeys if you have onward trains to catch from Interlaken.